PROVO -- The 60th-ranked men's tennis team pulled out a win in a hard-nosed dogfight against intermountain rival and 69th-ranked University of Denver.
BYU started off smooth, sweeping the doubles matches. Cougars Jose Lechuga and Nima Roshan won a 9-8 thriller to cap the doubles sweep.
But once singles started the Cougars seemed to struggle finding a rhythm. BYU's Roshan and Laporte would both drop three-set heartbreakers that could have sealed the victory for BYU. The only Cougar to win in the top 4 would be Salt Lake native James Ludlow who saw his first time playing two singles this season. He easily won 6-4,6-3.
The Pioneers managed to go one up on the Cougars. It would be left to the final two matches to decide BYU's fate. Cougar Chip Hand picked up well-played 6-3,6-4 win at number five singles to tie the overall match at three. Then big Dominik Kaufhold stepped up and won a thrilling two set 7-6,7-6 match to give BYU the win.
BYU keeps their undefeated home winning streak alive with the win. The Cougars are now 4-0 at home while advancing to 4-3 overall. The men in blue and white take on the 65th- ranked Colorado Buffalos tomorrow at 3 p.m.
Tennis Results
Singles
1.Holstrom(UD) def. Roshan(BYU) 3-6,7-6,7-5
2.Ludlow(BYU) def. Zeatternholm(DU) 6-4.6-3
3.Persson(DU) def. Das(BYU) 6-1,6-2
4.Tan(DU) def. LaPorte(BYU) 6-3,6-1,6-4
5.Hand(BYU) def. Rosen(DU) 6-3,6-4
6.Kaufhold(BYU) def. Flakes(DU) 7-6,7-6
Doubles
1. Rosan/Lechuga(BYU) def. Persson/Holmstrom(DU) 9-8
2. Kaufhold/Ludlow(BYU) def. Zetterholm/Rosen(DU) 8-2
3. LaPorte/Sanchez(BYU) def. Flaks/Tan 8-3